Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) President Hassan Luthfee has stated that the biggest issue facing the Commission was the lack of strong laws supporting ACC mandate to investigate corruption and fraud cases.
Speaking to Miadhu, Hassan Luthfee said that the biggest cases for the ACC involved finances, however, ACC did not have the legal backing to investigate the cases.
He said that amendment to the ACC act, which would grant the authority, has been proposed for nearly five years. He added that they have appealed for the help of political parties and MPs for this.
“We have held discussions with MDP and PPM MPs. But we are yet to receive any assistance,” he said.
Luthfee said that even though many allegations of fraudulent cases have been made over the years, but due to the simple fact that ACC did not have the legal backing to investigate.
He also noted that the Huvarafushi Constituency MP Mohamed Ismail had recently confessed to distributing money to MPs, adding that the Commission will question the MP. Luthfee said that ACC role was limited to just questioning.
Nations such as Saudi Arabia, intent on rooting out corruption, grants a wide range of powers to their anti- corruption agencies. However, in the Maldives, ACC can be best defined as a toothless lion.
Lack of laws to investigate huge corruption cases is worrying: Hassan Luthfee
